In this edition, we catch up on Calgary Wild FC‘s Mother’s Day home opener and the Canadian women’s futsal team‘s impressive tournament debut. We also take a look at the PWHL Playoffs, including first-time city celebrations and marathon-length games. Lastly, we cover Ayami Sato, the first woman competing in a Canadian men’s professional baseball league, and Rugby Canada‘s new fundraising push, including their upcoming summer game in Ottawa.

The stories of the week show girls in sport and physical activity that:

• While we’re on an upward trend of normalizing women athletes who are also moms, it’s still important to pay homage and to make thoughtful decisions that accommodate and prioritize family care for these athletes.
• The early success of the Canadian women’s national futsal team shows that tournaments, World Cup events, and other opportunities could have been made available much earlier. The growing market for women’s sports in Canada proves there is enough talent to represent the country across multiple teams.
• In a more niche sport like rugby, the Canadian women’s national team is making the right move by hosting a game in a city like Ottawa, both to increase accessibility and to raise awareness about funding challenges and upcoming competitions.

CALGARY WILD FC’S “MOMS MAKE CHAMPIONS” MATCH CELEBRATES THE TEAM’S DEBUT ON MOTHER’S DAY

Calgary Wild FC of the Northern Super League (NSL) was the final team to host their home opener, facing off against Ottawa Rapid FC. They marked the occasion with a special Mother’s Day celebration match titled “Moms Make Champions” this past Sunday. The players walked onto the pitch accompanied by either their children or their mothers.

Fans also got a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Calgary’s locker room, where the league added a thoughtful touch. Player and mother Sonia O’Neill shared on social media that next to her locker, a smaller, kid-size locker had been set up for her daughter, Aleya. 

Thanks to Calgary Wild FC, members of the Girls Forward Foundation community in the Calgary area received gifted tickets and were able to witness the action in person this weekend!

PWHL PLAYOFFS ARE HEATING UP WITH FIRSTS AND HISTORIC MOMENTS

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) playoffs are underway and so far, they’re delivering when it comes to entertainment! All three Canadian teams- Montréal Victoire, Toronto Sceptres, and Ottawa Charge– along with the Minnesota Frost, are battling it out in the postseason. 

Montréal Victoire finished the regular season in the top spot, which, under PWHL rules, gave them the advantage of choosing their first-round opponent between the Frost and the Charge. The Victoire opted to face the Charge, leaving the Sceptres and Frost to face off in a playoff rematch.

To mark the Charge’s first-ever playoff run, the city of Ottawa temporarily renamed Bank Street to “Charge Avenue” from Sunnyside Avenue to First Avenue.

PWHL history was made this weekend when a Victoire and Charge playoff game went into four rounds of overtime, lasting a total of 5.5 hours– the longest game in PWHL history!

Ironically, during the PWHL’s inaugural season, the Victoire also played a nearly five-hour playoff game on the exact same date and in the same arena. Something about May 11 and the Victoire delivering a two-for-one game experience!

To stay updated on the remainder of the PWHL playoffs, click here.

canada futsal team named inaugural champions at concaf w futsal tournament

The Canada Soccer Women’s Futsal National Team (CANWFUTSAL) made a statement at the inaugural CONCAF W Futsal Championship, taking home the title and etching their place in history. The newly formed team won four out of five matches during the tournament in Guatemala City. 

For those new to futsal, it’s a fast-paced style of soccer, played indoors with five players per side in two 20-minute halves.

This tournament was a milestone moment for Canada, as it was the debut competition for the Canadian women’s futsal team.

With the tournament win, Canada also earned a spot at the first-ever FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup, taking place in the Philippines from November 21 to December 7, 2025.

THERE WERE (HAPPY) TEARS IN BASEBALL THIS PAST WEEKEND

If you’ve seen the movie A League of Their Own, you’ll recognize the famous line: “There’s no crying in baseball.” But this weekend, that rule was happily broken. 

(We highly recommend watching that movie if you haven’t already!)

Canadian history was made when the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club held their Opening Day game. A big talking point in the city and for the team was the debut of Ayami Sato, the powerhouse pitcher who became the first woman to compete in a Canadian men’s professional baseball league. 

Sato, originally from Japan, is regarded as one of the top female pitchers in the world. 

The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club plays its home games at Dominico Field in Christie Pits Park, located in Toronto, Ontario. The team competes in the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL), an independent baseball league recognized as “one of the longest continuously operated baseball leagues in the world.”

For more information on when Sato and the team play, including a special Women in Sports Game on July 25, click here.

RUGBY CANADA HOSTING RIVALRY SERIES IN OTTAWA AMIDST FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

The Canadian women’s rugby 15s national team is bringing their game to Ottawa this summer!

On August 1, 2025, a highly anticipated rivalry match between Canada and the United States will take place at TD Place in Ottawa, Ontario.

While the game will definitely bring lots of top-tier talent, entertainment, and familiar faces, this match carries a greater purpose. In addition to promoting Canada’s 2025 Pacific Four Series campaign, the game also supports Mission: Win Rugby World Cup– a fundraising initiative with a goal of raising “$1,000,000 to provide the team with extra resources and training to help them be at their best.”

Earlier this month, the two teams faced off in Kansas City, Missouri, where Canada secured a 26-14 victory in front of a sold-out crowd.

For more information on the August 1 game, click here. For more information on the fundraising mission, click here.

Kaitlyn’s Sport Stories Recap are written by Kaitlyn Lehbert, a passionate and driven sport advocate for girls and women. Kaitlyn holds her Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Brock University. Learn more about Kaitlyn by clicking here!

Have a sport story you want to share? Contact info@girlsforward.ca and it may get featured in Kaitlyn’s next feature.